A white girl is stopped by a bouncer because the color of her skin. Then, the tables get turned.

A white girl is stopped by a bouncer because the color of her skin. Then, the tables get turned.

Four college girlfriends — two black and two white — are headed out for a night on the town in NYC. They plan to hit up clubs and bars, but there’s only one hitch: only one of them is actually 21.

Still, they have fake IDs and a plan to sweet-talk the bouncer at the club. But their plan to have a good time proves harder to execute than they thought — thanks to a subtle but brilliantly unexpected flip in this thoughtful, intellectually provocative drama.

Director Joosje Duk’s acclaimed short drama starts with a daring, subversive script that upends notions of hot-button issues like racism, sexism and privilege in a playful yet powerful way. The film is further carried by smart, skilled performances and equally well-crafted direction. There’s obvious intelligence behind the story, but “Night” manages to connect its big ideas to the everyday experiences of friendship, exploring what happens when people aren’t open, honest or accepting of one another.

It all comes together in a short but powerful cinematic experience that truly explores a story’s ability to let the audience walk in another person’s shoes and move towards compassion and understanding.